1842-43- A NEW LIFE - *49 



developed, nor had he dedicated himself to Him who 

 claims each man as rightfully His own. In this time of 

 deep thought, however, he underwent a mighty change. 

 He, himself, always regarded it, as the time when a new life 

 dawned in his soul ; and another, John Cairns, thus 

 writes : 



" I remember, with vivid accuracy, the earnestness with 

 which, on the last occasion I saw him before the operation, 

 he spoke of the danger before him, and of the great 

 anxiety, mingled with trembling hope in Christ, which he 

 showed as to his spiritual state. He took the Bible, asked 

 me to read and explain or enforce some passage, and then 

 pray. The remembrance of that day survives, while the 

 multitude of other conversations have left only a vague 

 impression of progress and saving enlightenment." 1 



There is no one who looks honestly into his own heart, 

 who does not find there a burden of evil, too heavy for 

 man to bear ; and it was so at this time with George. In 

 humility and trust, however, he came to Him who has 

 borne our sins, and who is able to take our burdens away ; 

 and thus was this great sorrow the occasion of the greatest 

 joy of his life, the joy of resting in that Saviour, whom he 

 ever after sought to serve and honour. Henceforth he 

 regarded himself as no more his own, but as one con- 

 secrated to God ; and thus we find him in his subsequent 

 life, actuated by other principles than we have yet traced 

 in him ; and his aims were higher than any which he had 

 set before himself, even in the best days of the past. 



It was during these few days, so important in their 



bearing on all his future, that his friendship with John 



Cairns (then a student of Divinity in Edinburgh) was so 



deepened, that ever after, it was one of the dearest relations 



1 "North British Review/' February, 1860. 



